The Ebon Ward: Episode 3
"There is nothing innately strange about alchemical reincarnation." - Twitch description for the 3rd episode of Ebon Ward Episode Synopsis Members of the original party arrive at Ebon Ward South and deliver Andrin's body to the Duchess. They pick up two new members and are given a new mission to retrieve some alchemical components that were stolen. While on the road to Grabby's Reach the party assists a nobleman who is being hijacked by a group of bandits. Summary Maze, Gnash and Suino arrive at Marrow-wood Bog and find the entrance to Ebon Ward South. They make their way down the stairs carrying Andrin's body and are greeted by a Walter - a retired Ebon Ward field agent. It is also established that at some point in the journey from Belgrin Musty deserted the Ebon Ward and Redpath went back to Ebon Ward Central to seek reassignment to the east instead. Walter takes the party to meet Duchess Ira Amlin, the leader of this branch of the Ebon Ward. They find the Duchess in her reception room, where she is entertaining a request for the search for the legendary lycanthrope "Crocowolf" by Dia Diadem - a human wizard with a passion for polymorphing - and Jasper Chiaroscuro - a half-elf druid with an affinity for snakes. The party then proceeds to give Andrin's body to the Duchess and explains Remmington's idea to make her into an undead so that the Ebon Ward can have a spy in the Keepers. The Duchess explains that she can use an alchemical process to raise Andrin as a special type of Revenant - one that will not even know that she is undead and will therefore not be driven to murder Maze to take revenge for her own death. This is described as a process that has not been done for along time, but that the Ebon Ward used frequently in the past. The alchemical process will require some uncommon components that the Duchess is expecting to arrive soon in a shipment from Saa'Ruud in the west. Unfortunately, they receive news that the transport containing the materials has been hijacked by the Underhand group, so a group of Ebon Ward operatives will need to either retrieve their stolen shipment or obtain replacements elsewhere. The party is given the options of either investigating the Underhand's base of operations in the nearby coastal town of Grabby's Reach, or travelling to Toter Tobbles Tower in the Sicklands to ask for spare components from his stores. They decide to go to Grabby's Reach after considering the week-long timeline they've been given before the Revenant process needs to be started, and wanting to get back at the Underhand for the hijacking. The Duchess provides a list of the materials to be obtained: Soul Stimulant, Reanimation Fluid, Angel's Mercy, Phantom Pollen, and, if possible, a miniature Golem Core. The Ebon Ward Central members take a short tour of the Onyx Maw, being introduced to members such as halfling-orc alchemist Jinni Coldblossom, twins Gtracy and Tgracy, gunsmith Barrett Brushfire, and "Blembeeny". In the process, Maze and Gnash perform a comedy routine, Dia enacts pie-related shenanigans, and Suino negotiates with Barrett over his proposal to make them a cart-mounted cannon. It happens that cannons are a little too costly for this trip, but a cart isn't a bad suggestion, so they meet with the stablemaster - a dullahan named Darrenella - who agrees to drive them to Grabby's Reach. Maze, Gnash, Suino, Dia and Jasper set out for Grabby's Reach, which is one day away when travelling with Darrenella due to her ability to drive over the swamp while effectively ignoring terrain. Approaching Grabby's Reach they encounter a carriage stopped in the road and surrounded by armed men. Suspicious of this, the party prepares for combat by sending Maze and Jasper to stealth through the trees while Dia, Suino and Gnash approach the carriage and find that they have in fact arrived in the middle of a hijacking. They jump into combat with the bandits upon receiving a request for aid from the carriage's occupant, who introduces himself as Luthion Haldear. Luthion's bodyguard, a tall armoured woman named Katherine, takes advantage of the chaos to break the cuffs restraining her and joins the fight. With relative ease the bandits are all cut down except for the bandit archer, who they shoot in the ankle and set on fire, but leave alive to interrogate. The party receives a proper introduction to Luthion, a flamboyant elf man dressed in fine silks and jewelry, and he rewards them generously with gold and magic items. Notably, Gnash finds a Cap of Human Guise that allows him to appear as a small human child (and not a 6'9" Gnoll), which will allow him to move more freely in populated areas. Luthion also recommends them to visit his friend "Eugene Verger", an eccentric nobleman and collector of interesting trinkets who lives in a mansion just to the west of Grabby's Reach (it's always a party with Verger!). Before the party moves on Maze talks to the bandit archer, named Archer Stevenson, to find out more about these bandits. Archer informs Maze that this group of bandits were ex-Underhand members who were convinced to defect recently by someone named "Creed", but he does not have much more information on the Underhand itself as he was a relatively new member. Maze releases Archer and tells him to quit being a bandit and find something better to do with his life, before returning to the rest of the group as they continue onwards to the outskirts of Grabby's Reach. Appearances * Ebon Ward Central Party Members (Maze, Gnash, Suino) * Ebon Ward South Party Members (Dia, Jasper) (first appearance) * Duchess Ira Amlin (first appearance) * Walter (first appearance) * Jinni Coldblossom (first appearance) * Gtracy and Tgracy (first appearance) * Barrett Brushfire (first appearance) * Blembeeny (first appearance) * Darrenella (first appearance) * Katherine (first appearance) * Luthion Haldear (first appearance) * Archer Stevenson (first appearance) Notes & trivia * The front entrance to Ebon Ward South is a well with a staircase leading downwards that is surrounded by three petrified trees. Touching the well causes blue runes to start lighting up. If the password is not provided before the circle of runes is completed, the surrounding swamp water would become electrified. * Walter is blind and has been suffering from some sickness for the past 30 years as a consequence of living under the corrupting influence of the nearby Sicklands. * The Duchess's chair is a massive construction of antlers, bones and stones. * The base of operations for Ebon Ward South is also known as "The Onyx Maw" following the naming scheme established for Ebon Ward Central with "The Obsidian Spear". * Two requirements for creating a Revenant are discussed: the person must have been terribly wronged just before death, and must be properly buried and laid to rest. * Jinni is introduced as a "Seeker" who has been gathering information in Kraggmurr's Fissure, and is reporting to the Duchess before heading back there. Walter mentions that the Ebon Ward has been receiving reports about Kragmurr's Fissure recently increasing golem production. Luthion also mentions that he is on his way to Kraggmurr's Fissure for some business. * Tgracy mentions that she is doing research on werewolves for a potential mission in Inbetween. * Notes about dullahan in Ebon Ward: ** dullahan despise gold (a trait also noted in Irish mythology) ** Darrenella does not have a head, and so she uses sign language to communicate. ** Darrenella wears a hood that she fills in with billowing smoke to mimic a human silhouette when the cart approaches habitable areas. She also will not go into town herself and lets the party off outside the gates. * Luthion boasts that he sold Verger the land that he lives on. * Will previously played a dullahan named Dylanette as co-GM in the (partially-recorded) "Spook Campaign" game. This character also had a cameo in one of the RP sessions for Anime Campaign Part 6. * In Roobventure "Marrow-wood Bog" is the homeland of Victor Oswald Gallowsworth, the character that Will plays in that short-lived campaign. The universes are entirely independent. Category:Ebon Ward Category:Ebon Ward Episodes